On this page
-
Text (3)
-
J3BS T^Hf MADm [No. 499. Oct. 15, 1859
-
NEW NOVELS.
-
THE QUIfljfiJN OF. HEARTS. By Wilklo Col...
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
-
-
Transcript
-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
The Mfnistek's Wooixg. By If. Beeclxer S...
it would Beeno , even to her hair , gave a little toas and sent tne bird , -Kke a sihrer fluttering cloud , up among the rosy apple-blossoms ^ " ; With the widow and her daughter lives the miwi . ijit ^ r who would , a wooing go , or , as he is called in the earlier part of the work , E ) r . H ., but towards the end his full name is given , and he turns diii to be Dr . Hopkins , D . I > ., the friend of President Edwards ; Both Edwards and Hopkins are remarkable in history for the earnestness with doctrinal theories
which they acted wp to their Dr . Hopkins is described as a p hilosopher , a metaphysician , a philant iaropist—add to which the rigid religious ienents that he held , he is not the sort of man one could imagine to love or be beloved . But ever since he first came to reside in the house qf Widow Seudder , and had the gentle Mary for his catechumen , a richer life seemed to have coloured his thoughts , —" his mind seemed to work with a pleasure never before felt , " yet this feeling does not make him the less earnest in his zeal ;
for we read : — " He never thought , this good old soul , whether Mary were fceautiful or not ; he never even knew that he looked at her ; nor did he know why it was that the truths of his theplogjr , when uttered by her tongue , had sueh a wondrous beauty as he never felfc before . He did not ; know why it was , that , when she silently sat by him , eopying tangled raanu ^
script for the ' press , as she sometimes did , his whole study seemed so full of some divine influence , as ifj like St Dorothea , she had . worn in her bosom , invisibly , the celestial roses of Paradise . He recor"ded honestly in his diary what marvellous freshness of spirit the Iiord had given him , and how he seemed to be uplifted in his communinga with heaven , without once thinking from the robes of what angel this sweetness had exhaled . "
The widow is highly gratified at this feeling on the part of the Doctor to Mary , and before long she has settled the marriage to her own entire satisfaction . But , unfortunately for her plans , Mary has already felt the gentle flame rising in her bosom for her sailor-cousin , James Marvyn , who , on the eve of the tea-party , pays her a clandestine visit to say good-bye ,, as his ship sails on a tkreeyears' voyage the next day . James is not allowed to visit his aunt very often , or to walk home with Mary from church alone , on account of his not being , as the widow expresses it , " one of the * elect . * " In this interview Mary and James have some talk on leligiph ,, which brings out the character , of both very forcibly , ana which we are
only :, precluded , from givjng by want of space . Mary , of course ^ having all the opinions of Dr . H ., argues from Hg point of view ; she would as soon Bav © thought of turning infidel as doubting the correctness of the minister ' s opinions . James , on the other hand , does wot believe in predestination ; laugjb . 8 at Dr , H , 5 and says he has seen " as good Christians among the Mahometans as any one in Mewport . " Biifc when Maty tells him that she " would "willingly give up all hope of he & ven to save him , from banishment , ** he becomes serious , and says :- — : "' Mary , X atfo . a sinner . Nb psalm or sermon ever taught it me , but I see it now . * "' WellthenJamesyou will be good ? Won't
Widow tells the tale of love quietly to Marj , and in order partly to please her mother , and partly because of the great- love of the good priest , she consents to the marriage , more especially as she thinks that it is " . ordered ; " and in doing so , will she not be doin g the will of a higher power than her own ? O " Mary brightens up as time rolls on , until within about a week of the time fixed for her marriage with the Doctor ; and when out walking one day , she is caught in the arms of her lost lover , James Marvyn , who is not drowned , but returned rich , and full of pride in his love , to claim Mary for his wife . Here we will leave them , and the narrative portion of the work , and those that feel an interest in" the conclusion of the story will do well to get the book , and read for themselves .
The historical characters are not very truthfully drawn , but we are not disposed to object to this defect * more especially as we are told at the outset that the incidents are " varied and arranged " to suit the action of the story . The most striking portrait is that of Doctor Hopkins ; yet in his character we fancy we detect many o £ the traits so admirably shown in Dominie Sampson , in Scott's tale of " Guy Mannering . " That dogged , dreary , studious , perseverance , is finely brought out . But when Mrs . Stowe says he made one mistake , " that of supposing the elaboration of theology was preaching the Gospel , " she illustrates the most prominent
trait in his character . When he once gets a thing into his head that it is right , no " mortal thing , " as the Yankees say , will make him swerve from it . He feels that he is " called" to preach ; so he preaches profound theology , and if his followers do not understand him , how can he help that ? It never crosses his mind to adapt his discourse to suit them . The character of Mary is a beautiful creation ; gentle , confiding , and self-sacrificing , she is the very embodiment of Puritanism , without the harshness peculiar to the sect , so that we little wonder at the good minister loving her— -although at the outset we thought he might just as well have
loved the widow—she being nearer his otto age . Of the other characters we can say little , without marring the reader ' s interest ; We might tell how busy Miss Prissy ( one of the best characters in the , . story ) is constantly telling you what she said to the Misses Wilcox , and the advice on dress she gave to Mrs > Marvyn . We might also relate how Madame Frontignae married an old man for money , and a position , and repented , like many others , when it was too late ; and through the gentle influence of Mary she resisted the overtures of Colonel Burr , who tried all he could to lead her from the path of virtue , as he had done many a woman before her . But to what purpose ? Those that read the book will see the moral themselves ,
and those that do hot will scarcely be interested in our version . We have said that this story is different from Mrs . Stowe ' other works , and with little exception it is ; but she has contrived to bring in the subject of the emancipation of slaves . Although there is little about the question , we fancy that it mars her present work , as we do not want- —beoause she has made a name by the subject—to have it forced on us ; nor will her readers . With the " Minister ' s Wooing" we have been greatly pleased ; and viewing it simply as a love story , it is a charming piece of , poetical prose writing . The manners of the people are so boldly conceived , and most of the characters so delicately and truthfully portrayed , that the reader fancies he lives in the time of which the author speaks .
, , , yxmtajk with J > r . H . ?' " •^ Hang- Dr . H . ! " said James . * Now , Mar / , I beg your pardon , but I can't make head or tail of a word Did Et . says . I don't get hold of it , or know what he would be at . You girls and women don't know yfixtt . power . Why , Mary , you are a living gospel . Xou have always had a , strange power over us boys . You never talj & ed religion ' much , but I have seen high fellows coxae a , way from being with you as still and guiet tta one feels when one goes into a church . X can't understand all the hang of predestination , And moral ability , and natural ability , and God ' s efficiency , and man ' s agency , which Pr . H . is so en-Ifttged about ; but I can unaeiatand ypw , —you can do me good r" ' ' ' ,
• •• «& ftev promising ) mutually to : think of each other ^ Fames . ' ^ oesHorrsea . buttaot until he writes ; Mary . a Jloug letter , in-which " * ie ^ sets ifbrththe new course ^ f life he intend * to' follow . Soon ; however , iatelfewce reached ^ efwport of the total wreck of tata ' empV and' tfte torn- of all the prow , except W %¥ S' ^ ' # ^! ' Tiw' ^ ^ <* mW Mi ^ H . $ PM # < t he ^ fwwe , [ $$ & Roving , magy . « M ^ p « Wi ^ 9 » -Wi # i > - WW ; % W TOto » 4 *~ WP « WM )< iilW . < MnffcQ i $ 'tfcm \ gmfiifW , ^ rn «^ r ^ i ** b ^ DQeb oraf , who , l » Aa Jifty ^ r- puapeotow any ' ¦ w ^ vofiii ^ jO & hjs 'Wyetf ^^ Ww' ^ rfca ^ fWidow r mhv * £ course iuwoll < ple «^^< : W < vtw *^ eTentw > have-token . The
J3bs T^Hf Madm [No. 499. Oct. 15, 1859
J 3 BS T ^ Hf MADm [ No . 499 . Oct . 15 , 1859
New Novels.
NEW NOVELS .
The Quifljfijn Of. Hearts. By Wilklo Col...
THE QUIfljfiJN OF . HEARTS . By Wilklo Collins , author of "AfterJQtnxk , " "TUe Dead Soorot , " & o . 3 vols . — Hurafc p » d jBlaolcott . MABBL OWBN-rftu AutoblogcoLphy . py M . S . 2 vote , ., T , O . Nowby . JQXTREMias , By Jlmmft WHlSh « r AfcWnooa , author of 1 vWve ^ KtMf tUo Queens of > TH » Bia , " a vola . —Smlth , SUdfiBAndOo . - THHCOUNT JOE PIDBRUOIC—an Hlotorloal Romanoo . nyja « nryCooke . avolB . —T . 0 . Nowby . MUKI > EK "Wllil * OUT—ft Story of ReM Life . By tt » o > antUor of "Tho Oojonel , " & o . ^ Routlodgo , Wame , » n 4 Koatlodno , " Tws ft ^ wEN W . I 3 JPART 9 " has tho merit of being a novel jbrm , Pi" fiction in three post o ^ iftyo vo lumes . , The . plan ie not , strictly apeAking ,. ori-Gnnal , ^ being 1 i conatruoted on the prinaiple oi' the Christmas number , that has hitherto appoared , K > f
Household Words * ^ and pf which Mr . Collins tag been one of the principattjontributors . Doubtless , it wa 3 these- numbers that suggested tlie idea , ot " The Queen of Hearts . " But this is of little consequence , for if they are similar in , form , they are as good in quaiity . How shpuW ^ they be other s wise , when the same person wrdte many of those tLat were so eagerly sought for to beguile away a -winter's evening ?
The scene of " The Queen of Hearts" is laid in Wales , where " three quiet , lonely old men" are the occupants of a dismal , barbarous old liouse , called The Gclen Tower . These three lonely old men are brothers . The , eldest , Owen , is a . clergy . man whose prime of life has been bestowed on the poor of a populous parish in London , until worn out in body he retires to the old tower , left iim , unexpectedly , by the • death of two distant relations . The characters of the three brothers are so beautifully struck off b y Mr . Collins that we had better borrow the descriptions of them from him .
Owen ' s is given in a few words : —1- " No man ever drew breath who better deserved the gifts of fortune ; for no man , I sincerely believe , more tender of others , more diffident of himself , more gentle , more generous , and more simple hearted than Owen , ever walked the earth . " The second brother , Morgan , started in life as a doctor , realised a moderate fortune , but never became popular , although very clever : ;— " The ladies never liked Mm , In the first place he was ugl y ( Morgan will excuse me for mentioning this ) . ; in the second place he was an inveterate smoker , and he . smelt of tobacco
when he felt languid pulses in elegant bedrooms ; in the third he was a most formidably outspoken teller of the truth ; as regarded himself , his profession , and his patients , that ever imperilled the sotial standing of the science of medicine . " The third and younger brother , Griffith , is a lawyer , and the only one that had been married ., lie acts spokesman for the party , and consequently little is said of himself , except that he lived happily with , his wife , and that when she died she left him one child , who is the hero of the story . But the reader will glean his character from the narrative : —
" And now imagine us three lonely old men , tall and lean , and white-headed : dressed , more from past habit than from present association , in customary suits of solemn black ; Brother Owen , yielding , gentle , and affectionate in look , voice , and manner ; Brother Morgan with a quaint surfacesourness of address , and a tone of dry sarcasm in bis talk , which single him out on all occasions as a character in our little circle ; Brother Griffith
forming the link between his two elder companions : capable at one time of sympathising with the quiet thoughtful tpne of Owen ' s conversation , and ready at another to exchange brisk severities on life and manners with Morgan ; in short , the pliable old lawyer , who stands between tho clergyman brother and the physician brother , with an ear ready for each , and with a heart open to both , share and share together . "
Griffith has been left guardian and executor to a young lady named Jessie Yolverton , whose father was a dear and valued friend of his ; and in tho-will there is a clause that she shall spend six weeks of every year in her guardian ^ house . Here is a pretty dilemma : Jessie Yelvcrton , " loo Queen of Hearts , " the lively , laughing , pretty Jessie ; the admired and courted of London drawing-rooms , spending six weeks at the tower . Why , the idea is absurd I But come she must , so they make preparations for her . The old housewin
keeper consoles herself with tho fact that " ene run away . " Morgan carries hiefurniture and books , and quietly ensconces himself in the seventh story of the tower to get out of * the Avoman s way . Owen suggests that they hod bettor begin by getting her " a plum cake , a little dog , and lots ot new gowna . " While Griffiths thinkfl of having two rooms newly rurnished for her , and has an upholsterer for the purpose ; but . before this can ho accomplished , and to add to their confusion , tne young lady arrives— -just ten days before tho time ehe was expected . , The three quiet old men arc aoon brought to love pretty litWe Jessie ? even Morgan ' s tongue
10 gentle when addressing her . xune mw » » ««« when within a few days of the time of Jessie s departure GrjUuth receives a letter from m son George , who is in the Qriinea , to ask h \ a father "to move heaven and earth" to detain her m . comes home , stating ths time when he shall avwvo . which happen *( to . be-just ten days after the tamo fi * ed * bx < Jessie ' s return to London . Goor « e haa met
-
-
Citation
-
Leader (1850-1860), Oct. 15, 1859, page 18, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_15101859/page/18/
-